Puma Mendez gives England fair warning

Monday 17 June 2002 18.46 EDT
First published on Monday 17 June 2002 18.46 EDT

England will face Argentina A here tonight in the solitary midweek game of their brief tour, uncomfortably aware that the Pumas' battle-hardened front-row union is intent on reducing them to mincemeat over the next six days.

Argentina's impressive weekend win over France has prompted the England manager Clive Woodward to warn that his team will be "battered" if they fail to get to grips with the world's foremost scrummagers, while the Argentinian hooker Federico Mendez, currently weighing up an offer to play for Saracens next season, also has a private score to settle.

Mendez, whose love-hate relationship with England dates back to his teenage years when he was sent off at Twickenham in 1990 for punching Paul Ackford, fell out with England's coach Andy Robinson during an unhappy spell at Bath and the wolfish smile on his face when asked if he felt put out by so many big-name English absentees was unmistakeable.

In Mendez's frank opinion, Robinson "wasn't the nicest guy" to work for and the economic paralysis of Argentina, which could force even more leading Puma players to ply their trade abroad, not to mention the 20th anniversary of the Falklands conflict, has added real spice to tonight's game at the Buenos Aires Cricket and Rugby Club.

"We need some happiness in our country because it's really messed up," admitted Mendez, now 29. "But I know the English players very well and there are people looking for a place in their first-choice side. They'll be hungrier than France."

Woodward will send out his midweek team, led by the Newcastle lock Hugh Vyvyan, hoping the French result has concentrated minds. "They may not be sleeping as soundly as they have been," he said. "If they weren't going to be in a big game next Saturday, they will be now."